Theories: the Real Reason Herman Cain Leads in the Polls

Enchanting troubadour and pizza inventor Herman Cain is currently the most popular Republican presidential candidate. According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, “Cain checks in as the first choice of 27 percent of Republican voters in the poll, followed by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at 23 percent and Perry at 16 percent.” Whatever voters are left are equitability divided amongst a cast of eccentric malcontents, recently published authors, and Jon Huntsman.

So why the Cainmentum (Hermentum?)? One gentleman who participated in the poll, an anonymous 46-year-old Floridian, said on Cain, “He has common-sense answers and is in touch with the heartbeat of America.” Alright! Plus, Mitt Romney, the man-to-beat, hasn’t recently seemed any less like a robot whose personality controls are permanently set to “CONDESCEND.”

But there could be an even simpler explanation for Cain’s popularity: he might bring free pizza so we have to pretend we think he’s cool. It’s a social dynamic that has played out in millions of twentysomething apartments for decades. As soon as he knocks into the iPad dock, spills gin on the couch, or invites his horrendous college friends over without even asking, everyone will remember all the problems with this guy again.